Bwala defends viral Al Jazeera interview, says criticism won’t distract him

The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has dismissed criticism following his appearance on Al Jazeera’s Head to Head programme, insisting he has no regrets defending the administration.

Bwala said he would again defend the government anywhere in the world despite the backlash that trailed the interview hosted by Mehdi Hasan.

The interview, which aired on Thursday, triggered widespread reactions on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), where clips of the exchange went viral and critics described his performance as embarrassing.

During the programme, Hasan confronted Bwala with past statements in which he had described Tinubu as corrupt, a drug baron, and unfit to lead Nigeria—remarks he made before defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2023 election.

When Bwala denied making some of the remarks, the host produced video clips of the statements, prompting fresh criticism online.

Hasan also questioned him about Nigeria’s security challenges, citing reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Responding in a statement on Saturday, Bwala said the backlash from what he described as opposition sympathisers was predictable and would not distract him from his responsibilities.

“The majority of the naysayers are members of the opposition and their sympathisers. It does not bother me one bit. Their temporary excitement over the interview has not lasted and will not last,” he said.

He dismissed claims that his outing on the programme was poor, stressing that his duty is to promote and defend the administration.

“Selling ice cream, looking fine, and seeking the praises of men were never part of my job description,” he said, adding that defending the President and his government was something he did “with ease and joy.”

Bwala said the programme had contacted him nearly six months earlier for the interview to discuss issues such as security, corruption and the economy but did not inform him that his past statements would be scrutinised.

“Nowhere in our almost six months of communication did they mention that they were going to challenge my past. If that had been their plan, ethically and professionally they were supposed to inform me so I could prepare my response,” he said.

He accused Hasan of using what he described as “opposition research-style journalism,” alleging that some of the quotes cited during the interview were inaccurate while others were “outright fake news,” which he said he would address later.

On his previous criticism of Tinubu before joining the administration, Bwala said such comments were part of partisan politics.

“I am glad those were things I said when I was in the opposition saddle with such zeal. It is all politics,” he said, noting that several political figures who once criticised leaders later served in their administrations.

He added that he was always willing to appear in interviews to defend the government’s record and looked forward to another opportunity on the programme.

Despite his criticism of the interview’s conduct, Bwala described Hasan as “arguably the best debater on the planet,” saying he still respected and admired him.